The pace and level of play on the South practice field is truly impressive. On Monday, many were disappointed with the players who decided to pull-out of the game and openly wondered if the quality of talent in Mobile was down this year. However watching these teams practice at a high pace, especially the South, it is clear there is a great amount of future NFL starters on the practice field this week.

Tulane OT Troy Kropog had a bounce back day Tuesday
after a slow start to the week. Kropog still isn't the most light-footed
but he shows good push in the run game and a nasty streak in drills.
Once the first run of tackles goes off the board, teams will be
looking toward Kropog to fill the swing tackle role. After practice,
Kropog admitted to site friend Paul
G. that the long layoff between the end of Tulane's season (no
Bowl) and the start of Senior Bowl practices may have affected his
play on Monday.

Another player who has clearly relaxed since Monday is Georgia
WR Mohammed Massaquoi. He was a lot
more reliable, ran sharp routes and his hands seemed soft on a nice
deep ball from QB Pat White. White
isn't an ideal QB prospect but his arm is not nearly as bad as some
of these reports are proclaiming. He should workout at other positions,
if only to show he is willing to do it, but realistically White's
passing is right there with many of the other quarterbacks in Mobile.

Southern California DT Fili Moala is often projected
as a 3-4 DE. While he can play that role, he showed in practice
a nice swim move and an upfield burst that might be squandered in
a classic 3-4 set. He's more athletic than most of his opposing
linemen on the interior and this will probably be the case at the
next level. With a good combine workout, he should prove to all
the teams he is a well-rounded tackle.

Another Trojan, DE Kyle Moore flashed several
times in one-on-one's. Moore is long, lean and makes an impact almost
every rep. Moore is another one of these "sleeper" defensive ends
that has an impressive set of pass rush moves and have increased
their profile with some of the bigger names pulling out of the week.

A quick side note, Kyle Moore is among
a group of South defensive linemen (including Robert
Ayers, Vance Walker and Corvey
Irvin) that have clearly benefited from specialized defensive
line coaching. The reason this is apparent is because their coach
is at the practices vocally shouting encouragements and instruction, before, after
and during their reps.

As we noted in our "top
Speed camps" article, this type of tutoring, is clearly
growing in popularity and its value is apparent, especially when
comparing these players to those who didn't necessarily get such
attention. Linemen might get pass rush lessons, cornerbacks might
get back pedal and man-to-man lessons, and it all adds up to an
environment where any advantage is sought out. Players are not just
improving their 40 time with the intention of locking down a high
draft slot, they are learning practical skills that will likely
pay dividends in the regular season and beyond.

Hawaii DE David Veikune showed excellent speed
around the edge, and a nice inside rip in pass rush drills, getting
the better of some pretty highly touted athletes. Veikune is a player
who might get washed out at the point of attack when a team runs
at him, but stopping the run probably isn't going to pay his bills.
He could be an interesting stand up 3-4 LB prospect.

Alabama TE Travis McCall had a nice catch on seam
route and is starting to prove he is more than a devastating run
blocker. Granted, McCall's not going to be considered a top offensive
threat at the position but the more he can do to prove he is a balanced
player, the greater the chance of his winning a starting job at
the next level. While his receiving ability may be uncertain, what
he brings to the run game is considerable. He's basically like a
tackle eligible out there, absolutely destroying defensive ends
in 9-on-7 rushing drills.

West Virginia CB Ellis Lankster is an extremely
athletic gambler in coverage. He will mirror his man with uncanny
speed and then try to make the big play with a break on the ball.
This can backfire if he misses, and is obviously not the most conservative
approach. Still, he's doing a lot to prove he's more than just a
kick returner in these practices. Lankster is one of many players
here whose best football is probably ahead of him.

As expected, Alabama DB Rashad Johnson shows great
awareness and instincts in diagnosing the play and doing his best
to shutting it down. While there will likely be other athletes as
his position that time better, few are faster with anticipating
the play, and this ability saves time getting the player where he
needs to be. He's a heady player that should transition easier than
most to the pro game.

NC State RB Andre Brown hits the hole hard and
is proving to be a quality one-cut-and-go runner who will get yardage
after contact. In fact, Brown seems to seek out the contact rather
than avoid it, especially once past the line of scrimmage and could
be an excellent rotational player in a tandem with a Reggie Bush
type who can handle 3rd down duties and receptions. Brown may lack
that extra gear to take it to the house however, and will need to
be used properly to maximize his effectiveness.

Finally, the winner of the "whoa moment of the day" award was clearly
Southern Cal LB Brian Cushing, who
absolutely lit up Liberty RB Rashad Jennings
in full team scrimmages. In fairness to Jennings, this hit took
place after a lengthy gain of 10 yards or more, but nonetheless
Cushing closes quickly to the ball carrier and is a nasty mood when
he arrives.

***** North Practice -- Tuesday Morning *****

While forecasts called for mild conditions in Mobile's Ladd Peebles stadium, a cold snap coupled with a gusty breeze had morning practice mercury hovering around 37 degrees, with a wind chill making it feel more like 17. Many at the morning North practice seemed under-dressed but this was often remedied by afternoon's South session.

Before we get to the individual players however, we'd like to take a quick word about how we decide who to talk about in these pages. As in our blog, we at Draft Daddy seek to cover good news almost exclusively, and leave the heavy bashing to other sites. Also we want to cover players on day 2 that we may not have included in our day 1 coverage.

If you don't see a certain player in the below notes, it's safe to assume they were either covered in the day 1 notes or they fell into the "less than memorable" category. It's also safe to assume that all of the good players on day 1 were still good today; although we reserve the right to do so, we don't want to repeat ourselves as the week progresses.

It's always interesting when players from the same school face off in drills against each other. A good way to tell a player's weaknesses is to see how someone who has played against him with regularity over the years approaches the match up.

Illinois defensive end Will Davis versus Illinois left tackle Xavier Fulton in the Pit drills was one such situation. Fulton had the obvious advantage in size and he does a nice job with his hands, but Davis was able to get Fulton over-extended. Davis has a variety of pass rush moves and he uses them in combination to get to the quarterback. North coaches were praising his ability to finish the play; people talk a lot about a player's first step but that last step before he gets to the quarterback is also vital.

Another insightful same school match up was Connecticut defensive end Cody Brown vs Connecticut left tackle William Beatty. Over a couple days, Brown has had a rough go of it against other players, getting overpowered at times, while Beatty has had success in his match ups. But put them together, Cody was able to expose Beatty's weakness, which is the bull rush. Opposing linemen made the mistake of trying to reach the edge or cut inside on Beatty, and he would mirror and slide with grace. However Cody knew the shortest line between where he was and where he was going was a straight line, and was able to push the much bigger man back on his heels. The good news for Beatty is that his is a weakness easily repaired by a pro strength program, and he is still clearly among the most agile tackles in Mobile.

Elsewhere in the pit, Missouri defensive tackle Ziggy Hood was building on his strong day 1 with an excellent all around performance in day 2. Hood has an impressive arsenal of pass rush moves and often uses more than one per snap. Hood actually has more moves than most of the defensive ends, and the coaches lined him up at end for several reps. Hood's best projection might be as a 4-3 rotational DT in a slanting defense. This way he can get up field and also stay fresh and ready for passing downs.

A player that looked good in stalemating Hood however was Wisconsin lineman Kraig Urbik. He's stout, smart, has good balance, plays with a low center of gravity and keeps his man in front of him. Urbik has been used by the coaches at both right tackle and right guard and will be able to reliably fill both roles at the next level.

Cal center Alex Mack is simply a technician out there and while he isn't perfect, when he succeeds he makes it look easy. Defenders tend to give up after Mack stands them up, he's been dominant in the trenches all week so far.

The only player that has given Mack trouble with any regularity is Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji. Raji is playing on another level than most here, and can be unblock able when he heats up. Raji goes forward or he stays put, but one thing that doesn't happen is Raji being pushed back. As a result, Raji will appeal to the 3-4 teams looking for a space-filler and to the 4-3 teams looking for a player to split double teams and collapse the pocket. It is that versatility that makes Raji the best defensive tackle in Mobile and likely the first tackle selected in the 2009 draft.

Another interesting player is Iowa defensive tackle Mitch King. Over the years many have questioned whether this player was legit but King answered the call this week, displaying excellent leverage, hand play and motor in drills. King's probably not going to be considered a top athlete in terms of pre-draft grades, but he's a football player through and through. In the right situation, King could be a contributor for years.

A late addition to the North roster was Purdue defensive tackle Alex McGee, who appeared today on the field for the first time. McGee showed a nice burst up field, was aggressive in drills and received praise from the North coaches. Similar to Hood, McGee is at his best with his ears pinned back and shooting a gap.

Oklahoma OT Phil Loadholt is somewhat spry for a man his size and projecting him as a tackle rather than a guard makes sense. He is serviceable in pass protection due to his sheer size similar to Marcus McNeil a few years ago, to get around Loadholt you have to basically run around the block. Also similar to McNeil, Loadholt is a beast in the run game and is showing a mean streak. Loadholt had at least 2 pancakes in drills today and has no problem driving players into the ground and jumping on them for good measure. In what is probably the understatement of the week, these experiences looked unpleasant for Loadholt's opposing defenders.

In areas outside of the pit (yes, in fact there are such places), many other athletes impressed.

Oregon running back Jeremiah Johnson displayed excellent vision, hands out of the back field and cut back ability. Johnson has a knack for finding open grass. Virginia running back Cedric Peerman is a north/south runner that can be tough for defenders to find behind the offensive line; when they do find him, they are more likely to be on the receiving end of the punishment than he is. Purdue running back Kory Sheets is probably the fastest of the group and has no problem finding the corner and getting upfield. We are grouping these players together here as all three are the type of sleepers who will be unknown to national audiences but could become popular waiver wire pickups in fantasy leagues next year, should they get reps. In other words, all three have clear football speed and instant impact ability, regardless of their timed speed or eventual draft position. As is the case with many, it will come down to opportuniy for all three.

Speaking of fantasy leagues, Washington State wide receiver Brandon Gibson is having a week similar to Denver Broncos receiver Eddie Royal had last year. He isn't flashy but has soft hands, runs sharp routes, and will sell all out to make a tough catch on bad balls. The quarterbacks seem comfortable throwing to Gibson, and his reliability keeps them coming back to him. As a result Gibson is getting more looks than many of the wide outs and from we've seen, he's yet to drop a ball. Gibson may have been hurt by the instability at his college program and appears to be a highly underrated player.

In the defensive backfield, Missouri safety William Moore is a work in progress. His strength in tackling is clear but his backpedal and other coverage skills are improving as the days go on. He's coach able and loves the game, clearly working to improve his craft and learning as much as possible from the pro coaches. The Senior Bowl organizers could have moved him to linebacker if they felt he wasn't a legit safety, this clearly isn't a concern.

Oregon State defensive back Keenan Lewis has been getting an awful lot of looks at cornerback and has not disappointed. Lewis has tremendous raw athleticism and had an excellent interception in skeleton drills. The coaches are working with his awareness however and Lewis has a high ceiling which he is striving to reach.

A stiff wind tore across the field at Fairhope, helping the kickers but impacting the quarterbacks' collective accuracy on intermediate and long throws. The low level of quarterback play slightly affected the scouts' ability to properly evaluate the wide outs and defensive backs. Despite this less than ideal situation, several players stood out in practice today:

Southern Miss TE Shawn Nelson was a natural receiver, the most reliable of the South TE today in that aspect of the game. Nelson shows burst, crisp route running and separates from the coverage, without dropping any balls. Interesting side-note, former Carolina Panthers TE Kris Mangum (now a Southern Mississippi assistant coach) was in attendance, and it's apparent he's been sharing the tips of the trade with Nelson.

Liberty RB Rashad Jennings was very impressive today. He excelled in pass blocking, as a one-cut and go tailback, and also looked good running routes out of the backfield. As the weigh-in implied, Jennings is a premium athlete. Although he's a little taller and runs a little more upright than some teams would ideally like for the tailback position, recent rookies have shown that players like Jennings can be successful, even with an unorthodox style.

Wake Forest CB Alphonso Smith showed great awareness and football savvy, recording a pretty pick in 11-on-11s and several passes defended in drills. Smith showed today that his production at Wake was not an accident; he's a legit ball hawk whose stock is on the rise.

Ole Miss DT Peria Jerry was a beast in the pit 1-on-1 drills. His functional strength is simply on another level than the opposition, and one notable bull-rush became a reverse pancake with the offensive lineman flat on his back! Jerry has several pass rush moves, including an effective swim move, but he doesn't really need to get fancy to beat his man. Some reps he knows what he's gonna do, the other guy knows what he's gonna do and it still happens. By practice's end he was drawing double-teams in 11-on-11 drills. In the game, it will be interesting to see if the North's linemen can have better luck than the South's linemen had in trying to contain him.

The Pit battle of the day was between Ole Miss OT Michael Oher and Tennessee DE Robert Ayers. This was a back-and-forth bout, with early rounds going to Ayers and his quick first step. Ayers is a tough, feisty and competitive player, aggressive, showing good hands and a nose for the quarterback. After reps, Ayers would holler and clap, getting emotional and loud.

However, not to be out done, Oher rose to the challenge. He looked at Ayers, said "Ok let's get it [on]!" and ended the session by riding Ayers into the ground for a brutal looking pancake. Oher seemed to find his stride as the practice went on, and his potential is evident. His technique is spotty at times however and he needs to continue to work to bring his game to the point where it's not just physicality which carries him through.

Richmond DE Lawrence Sidbury is a very interesting prospect. He was a terror in pass rush, displaying an instinctual feel and timing in his moves. Sidbury can get around the edge, or he can change direction and break in another direction, leaving his man clutching air. However, Sidbury was washed out in run blocking, and seemed to be on his heels whenever the running back was headed to his side of the field. Obviously there is money to be made as a pass rusher, and Sidbury is clearly a player on the rise for those skills, but to be an every down player he needs to improve his stoutness against the run. As it stands however he's made an impressive leap from Shrine week to Senior week, and he keeps rising.

Florida OT Jason Watkins was a pleasant surprise all day. From his impressive physique at weigh-ins to his explosion off the ball in drills, he is a player teams will be looking at very closely as a possible swing player who can fill in at either tackle spot. In drills, Watkins was running as the right tackle in the first team offense and did an effective job keeping his opposing man from the ball carrier. He can be out-quicked however, and had some trouble with speed rushes in the Pit. It's questionable how many of these paths taken to the QB by opposing rushers are legit however.

San Jose State DB Coye Frances is a blanket in coverage, moves very well and had several passes defended. This practice coupled with his solid weigh in could make Frances a hot property in the coming weeks.

USC WR Patrick Turner displayed soft hands and had a crowd pleasing deep catch from Clemson QB Cullen Harper that got everyone buzzing. Turner is long and lean and can snag tough balls. While he's not going to convince anyone he's a track star, might be finally reaching the huge potential he's been associated with for years and might be a possession option at the next level. As for Harper, he's been the best of a bad group but needs to do a lot more to improve his stock to where it used to be.

Arizona WR Mike Thomas covers a lot of ground and is another player who has been improving his stock after a strong week at the Shrine game. Teams like his versatility, his hands and his return ability. South Carolina WR Kenny McKinley is also a smooth receiver, catching the ball with his hands, rather than trying to trap it against his pads. Timed speed will be paramount in determining both of these players' respective values.

Louisville OC Eric Wood played guard and center, was excellent in pulling, and impressed on lookers with his toughness, grit and coach ability. He's a smart technician who has real potential to start in the league. However, Wood was overwhelmed at the point of attack several times, and could stand to improve his core strength.

Southern California LB Clay Matthews shows signs of being a true football player and takes every opportunity to stick his face in the fan. He worked only at 'backer today and did a better than expected job in coverage.

Finally, although it's tough to judge in shells, LSU FB Quinn Johnson could be this year's LeRon McClain. Give Johnson the ball, he powers through the line and just doesn't go to ground easily.

The North squad, coached by the Cincinnati Bengals staff, came out in shells (shoulder pads and helmets) today but even though they weren't in full pads there was still plenty of hitting and physical play. It was a sparse crowd, with half of the scouts and coaches watching the South team in Fairhope, but those who did come to Ladd-Peebles Stadium were treated to a number of impressive performances.

The headliner of the day might have been Missouri DT Evander "Ziggy" Hood, who showcased his trademark hustle and tenacity. Hood's motor seemed to run non-stop and he was able to consistently make plays in one-on-one drills, dipping and getting past Alex Mack on more than one occasion.

Oklahoma OT Phil Loadholt had a good day. Loadholt was very physical and absolutely mauled defenders once he got his hands on them, which was to be expected from a guy who weighed in at 6-8 and 343 pounds. However, he also displayed good feet and showed the ability to handle speed rushers. Today at least.

One of the players Loadholt toyed with was Connecticut DE Cody Brown, who did not have a good day. In addition to getting absolutely mauled by Loadholt in drills Brown also received quite a bit of instruction from the coaches. On one hand you don't want to be too critical of Brown because he was going up against a guy who outweighed him by 100 pounds but at the same time those are the types of specimens he will see as a defensive end at the next level. After today something tells me Brown is thinking a move to outside linebacker sounds pretty good.

Boston College DT B.J. Raji had a good day, showing why he is one of the best defensive tackles in this draft. If not the best. Raji was singled out on quite a few coaching points but it was more a case of working with him than a negative thing. Raji was also noticeable quicker than his teammate Ron Brace, even though they are about the same size. Brace looked slow and lethargic.

Sam Houston St. QB Rhett Bomar easily had the best release and most velocity of all the signal callers on the North squad. He throws a real nice ball and it gets out of his hand very quick. His accuracy was relatively average today though.

Of all the wide receivers Penn State's Derrick Williams looked the most impressive today. He got off the line of scrimmage real quick and showed terrific acceleration. He was also quick out of his breaks and got good separation. He just looked like the best receiver out there. Williams did muff a punt and the ensuing scene looked like something straight out of "Football Follies" as he crashed into another player at one point while trying to pick the ball up.

Oklahoma St. TE Brandon Pettigrew really looks the part. I didn't get to see Pettigrew work as a pass catcher much today but as a blocker he was able to extend his arms and easily drive a linebacker out of the player.

Northern Illinois DE Larry English was more physically impressive than I anticipated and he drew praise from coaches for his technique.

I didn't get to see as much of Virginia LB Clint Sintim as I had hoped to today but in coverage drills he looked a little stiff. On the flip-side Oklahoma's Nic Harris looked very smooth and comfortable in ball drills, which was not much of a surprise since he was a safety in college.

I was pleasantly surprised with Iowa DT Mitch King, who always seemed to be around the action and drew a lot of praise from the coaching staff. Alex Mack was able to hold him in check for the most part though.

South Florida OLB Tyrone McKenzie looked real good on one play, reading the play quickly and attacking the ball carrier but then missed the tackle behind the line of scrimmage. I didn't see much of him but I liked what I saw.

Illinois OT Xavier Fulton, showed the ability to easily get out to the second level. Fulton also surprised me when he was able to lock on and control his man.

Virginia RB Cedric Peerman's small hands were a point of concern at the weigh-in and when he bobbled a pass today those worries seemed to be validated.

Purdue RB Kory Sheets had trouble turning the corner and was strung out to the sideline by Ohio St. LB Marcus Freeman. That was probably more of a plus for Freeman than a negative for Sheets though.

There is no question that Connecticut OT William Beatty needs to pack some weight onto his 291 pound frame but he is very smooth and you can certainly see why many have him rated as a late first / early second round possibility.

Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell displayed good accuracy and didn't miss many throws but he didn't stand out when it came to his setup (dropback), release or velocity.

Central Arkansas QB Nathan Brown almost looked out of place and was a distant third when it came to the North quarterbacks. He just doesn't look very big out there and it would be hard to say he was better than average in any regard.

Oklahoma WR Juaquin Iglesias ran good routes and broke down well but he did miss a couple of balls that he should have caught.

Ohio St. WR Brian Robiskie catches the ball well with his hands but didn't look very fast.

Washington St. WR Brandon Gibson looked slow on his routes and didn't accelerate off the line well. He didn't get much separation out of his breaks either.

North Carolina's Brooks Foster was probably the second best receiver after Williams, showing the ability to accelerate and separate. He also showed some craftiness as a route runner on vertical and deep crossing plays.

Cal Poly's Ramses Barden caught the ball well and looked very athletic. He didn't necessarily look real fast but that could be deceptive because of his size.

The most impressive running back today was Oregon's Jeremiah Johnson, who looked noticeably quicker than his counterparts.

All in all there were a number of players who looked good and helped themselves today, most notably Derrick Williams, Ziggy Hood and Rhett Bomar, but there really wasn't an eye-opening, world-beating performance from anyone. The players were still getting comfortable and adjusting to their new surroundings though so that could all change tomorrow. The North may not have as many flashy, high-profile names as their South counterparts but there is plenty of talent and when all is said and done I would not be at all surprised if the North produces just as many first round picks as the South does.

Jeremiah Johnson, RB, Oregon and Cedric Peerman, RB, Virginia; height in the 5'8" - 5'9" range, but both were in tremendous shape.

Kory Sheets, RB, Purdue: 5'11", 203: To paraphrase site friend Sigmund Bloom from NFL Draft Guys, Sheets has the upper body and calves of a wide reciever but the trunk of a tailback. Interesting hybrid prospect in excellent shape.

DD.comment: As a general note, no quarterback on either team measured at or over 6'3", which was clearly dissapointing to scouts....Another general note, while it is clear that some players pulled out to get healthy, and others pulled out because they are legitimate top tier prospects, certain players, especially certain offensive and defensive linemen, are participating in the game of managing expectations and putting the perception out they are higher graded than they are. This tactic might be proper in a political campaign but in the game of professional football, the trench warriors should want to play. An ideal NFL offensive or defensive lineman should live for days like today when the pit drills seperate the men from the boys. It is my belief that many skipped the game to not be proven boys. And as they are not here to defend that judgement, the assumption will stand, not just for this writer but for many of the decision-makers in attendance.

****

Following players have pulled out of the Senior Bowl:

RB Javon Ringer -- Injured/Recent knee scope

WR Louis Murphy -- Was injured in the National Championship game.

OT Jason Smith -- Thinks his draft stock is so high that he doesn't need to play.

OG Duke Robinson -- Rumor: Hurt in the National Championship game.

OT Eugene Monroe -- Thinks his draft stock is so high that he doesn't need to play.

DE Tyson Jackson -- No specific reason given.

DE Brian Orakpo -- Thinks his draft stock is so high that he doesn't need to play.

DE Michael Johnson -- No specific reason given.

LB James Laurinaitis -- Rumor is he battled nagging injuries all year and needs to time heal?

LB Aaron Curry -- Thinks his draft stock is so high that he doesn't need to play.

DB Malcolm Jenkins -- Thinks his draft stock is so high that he doesn't need to play.

Also, as we predicted months ago, Oklahoma safety Nic Harris has been moved to linebacker by N.F.L. scouts due to speed concerns. Also, while dynamic University of Cincinnati defensive end Connor Barwin, who led the Big East in sacks last year, has steadfastly said he wants to play defense in the N.F.L., some scouts are trying hard to skew him back to tight end, where he had only enjoyed moderate success during his college career.